Salt on the Earth
by kuroshirotoiro
Summary: Naomi Yokoyama has had it with her life in America and decided to start anew chapter in Japan. She attends Yosen High where Araki sensei pointed her as new manager for the boy's basketball team. From here she's making new friends and new memories but home had different plans for her. KnB x OC! Please leave comments and reviews!


**(A/N): Okay, so I had to redo this one due to not meeting the submission guidelines. So I'm sorry to those who enjoyed the KnB x Reader stuff but I can't do that. The reader became slightly OC as I pushed further into the story so I might as well make one. I'm keeping with the same plot and idea. So literally, this first chapter is pretty much what it was except for a few changes. I hope you like it! Please leave comments and reviews!**

 **(A/N): Anything in quotations are spoken, anything italicized are thoughts, and anything italicized within quotations are spoken in English.**

* * *

The sound of leaves crunching beneath her feet left a calm and blissful expression upon her diamond cut face. The locks of her dark auburn hair that framed her face danced wildly every time a gust of cool wind blew. She inhaled deeply through her button nose when another gust of wind swept her hair back and caressed her skin. A deep sigh slipped from between her lips when she stopped in front of Yosen High School. It was eerily quiet but that was because all the students were already in class. The only sound she could hear was the sound of the leaves skipping across the pavement and her heart beating in her chest.

"This is it," she whispered to herself.

The auburn hair girl made her way to the teachers' office who only directed her to Principal Sato. She sauntered her way down to the principal's office, taking in her new school. Yosen was huge and heavily influenced by western architecture which made her feel slightly more comfortable in the new setting. Upon reaching the large double doors, the auburn hair girl became hesitant. _Do I just knock?_

"Don't just stand there, hurry on in," a deep stern voice came through from the other side of the door.

She jumped when she heard the voice and slowly opened the door. Her emerald eyes peered into the room, tracing the wood-paneled walls to the large mahogany double pedestal desk in the back center of the room. A tall gray haired man stood facing the windows as he held a cup of coffee in his hand.

"Take a seat Miss Yokoyama," the man ordered.

"Yes sir," she replied as she made her way to one of the large leather chairs in front of his desk.

The gray haired man turns around and smiles widely in her direction, "Welcome to Yosen Miss Yokoyama. I am Principal Sato." He pulled out his chair and sat down his cup of coffee before taking his seat. "I have received notice from your parents that you would be arriving."

"Is that so?" she raised a brow.

He pulled out a folder containing various papers which contained everything that she needed for her transfer to Yosen. "Naomi Yokoyama, you're a senior this year. Looking at your transcript, you'll exceed wonderfully here," he flashed a smile. From the folder, he takes out a piece of paper and pushes it front of her. "This is your class number," he took his red pen and circled it for her to see, "and this is how your class schedule will work."

Naomi picked up the paper and skimmed over the various classes that the school had in store for her. _Advanced Japanese History? I swear my parents have something to do with this._ Principal Sato reached down for a bag that sat behind his desk and placed it front of the foreigner. "And these are the textbooks you'll be needing."

She peered into the bag and took it off his desk and placed it into her lap. "Thank you, Sensei. May I go now?"

The smile on his face twitched so very slightly. He stood up from behind his desk and ushered her toward the door, "Of course! If you need anything please feel free to come directly to me."

Naomi grabs hold of the door handle and before opening it any further she turns to the principal, "I'm not sure what my father said but please treat me like every other student. From here and onward, I am completely independent. I will personally tell my father to keep out of my way as well as yours." Her eyes pierced his in which left a nervous laugh trickling from his lips. "Oh, and please drop the 'Miss'. Yokoyama-san is fine," she smiled.

"I-I see. I'll keep that in mind," he stuttered.

* * *

A month has passed, the branches on the trees have slowly become naked. Naomi stood silently in the bathroom, gripping the rim of the porcelain sink. She became mentally exhausted after taking a recent history exam. A shaky breath trailed from between her pale lips. Naomi locked eyes with her reflection but soon traced her pale face for various signs of fatigue.

"I just wanna go home. To think I thought it was a good idea to start halfway through the school year," she groaned.

She turned on the faucet and began splashing her face with cold water in attempt to wake herself up for her last exam. She dried her face and stared at her reflection again. Angry with herself, she stood up straight and slapped both hands against her face. The sides of her cheek turned a bright a red but her expression became stern.

"You are better than this, Naomi. Just one more," she emphasized each word.

Before returning to class, she straightened the red tie around her neck and combed her bangs back with her fingers which she deals with on a daily basis. As she opened the bathroom door, she accidentally bumped into one of the teachers.

"Ah sorr-," Naomi looked up from the floor, only to find herself standing in front of Araki-sensei. "A-Araki-sensei, sorry" she mumbled.

Araki-sensei looked at her with a bit of an agitated expression. "Yokoyama-san, I understand you are still new to Yosen, let alone Japan, but you need to speak up and bow when apologizing. It can often seen as rude if you mumble like that." Her eyes narrow.

"Sorry Araki-sensei," she revised her apology, conforming to what sensei had told her. "If you'll excuse me," she began to make her way pass sensei but she was suddenly stopped by sensei's shinai which she extended laterally.

"I actually wanted to ask you Yokoyama-san," she turned facing Naomi with a more eased expression, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you don't seem to bother to do anything to mingle in with the other students. Why is that?"

Naomi's green eyes widen in shock to the words that were coming from her teacher who barely even knew her. _What kind of question was that? It's not like it's really any of her concern._ "That's a little harsh don't you think Araki-sensei?" she tried to laugh it off but couldn't help but sigh. "I can talk with my classmates just fine and I've made friend with Sato-kun," Naomi fibbed as she kept her eyes glued to the window. _But it's not like Sato and I even hang out outside of school._

"Why not join any extracurricular activities?" she asked.

"I'm in a few," Naomi lied.

The black hair teacher's eyes narrowed again in irritation to her response. She began to fiddle with her shinai which is now in front of her, "The go-home club is not one of them," she sighed.

"It's still kinda tough joining other clubs. I mean, I just moved to Japan. Plus, I was never really interested in joining clubs in America," she admitted.

The black suited woman studied her face for a little while, creating an awkward silence. She begun to walk toward the stairs, "I need a manager for the boy's basketball team. The previous manager just quit and since winter cup is right around the corner, tough training is about to begin. I'll see you in the gym after school." She wave her hand as she descends down the stairs.

Naomi blinked instantaneously after she had processed what Araki-sensei had just said. "W-wait a second! Araki-sensei," she called out but by the time she said her name she was already out of sight. "What the hell?" she whispered to herself. She glanced at the time on your wrist. _Shit!_ Naomi sprinted down the hall back to her class with a minute to spare just before the exam was about to begin.

* * *

The bell rang, indicating the end of yet another tiresome day. There were various side chatter and laughter throughout the school. Students scurried from class to club activities or cleaning duty. Naomi stretched her arms out in front of her and arched her back. _Was sensei serious?_ She couldn't help but think about what Araki-sensei told her. _It just seems so bothersome. I might as well tell her "no"._

Naomi made her way to the gymnasium, as instructed by Araki-sensei. She opened the door and found sensei sitting on one of the benches on the side of the court. Yosen's gym was vast and almost sparkling due to the light coming in through the large windows that lined the top of the gym walls.

"Yokoyama-san, I'm glad you came," Araki-sensei looked up from her clipboard. "There are some things I'd like to talk to you about before you begin."

"Um, about that Araki-sensei," Naomi hesitated. "I came to decline your offer. I'm sorry but I don't have any interest in being manager." She did a slight bow.

"Hmm? Yokoyama-san, it wasn't a position I was offering. It's something I'm telling you to do," Naomi's head jerked up as Araki-sensei stood up from her seat and made her way to the confused student.

"Wait a second! You can't just decide what I will do," Naomi exclaimed. Araki-sensei tossed her a plastic bag that held a purple jersey. Naomi catched it and opened the bag to look inside. "Sensei, I really don't want to do th-."

"Just try. Go put it on and once you get back," she tosses a silver key to the furious girl, "bring out all the basketballs and set up the cones on that half of the gym. Two rows going horizontal and each cone approximately five feet from one another."

The black hair woman stared straight at Naomi, with little expression. Her face was serious and demanding. Naomi exhaled an audible breath. She chewed at her bottom lip while maintaining eye contact with sensei but then she looked at the bag.

"Fine," Naomi makes her way to the nearest restroom to quickly change out of her uniform.

She walked out of the bathroom stall and found herself in front of a mirror again. She narrowed her eyes at her reflection for several seconds. She angrily turned on the faucet and washed her hands. _Honestly, who does she think she is?!_ Her auburn hair kept slipping in front of her line of sight. She takes a black hair tie from around her wrist and ties back into a high ponytail. Her bangs, unfortunately, were not long enough to go into the ponytail and had to be pinned back with a bobby pin.

Naomi returned to the gym and sat her bag on the same bench Araki-sensei was on earlier.

"Where'd she go?" she asked herself as she makes her way to the storage room.

Naomi wheeled out two large cage-like bins out; one one each side of the full court. Grabbing a stack of orange cones, she placed them as instructed by Araki-sensei, "Do I call her coach now? Is it something I only say during practice?" she pondered. _Wait, do I even plan to stay here? What am I even saying?_ She scrunched her face at the thought of being forced to being manager.

Working on her last row with the cones, Naomi's attention turned to the door which creaked open. Araki-sensei strolled in with her shinai in hand. Behind her followed Yosen's basketball team, all of which were chatting amongst each other and laughing.

"Coach Araki, who is that?" a man with a long face and narrow eyes, Wei Liu, pointed at Naomi.

Naomi begun to feel nervous at the fact that there were so many people that she didn't know. The entire team looks in her direction once Wei pointed out the unfamiliar face. She silently lifted her right hand and sent a small wave in their direction which was returned by Liu and a few others.

"Yokoyama-san, come here when you're done," Akari-sensei called. Naomi nodded in response and quickly went to finishing lining the rest of the cones.

After placing the last cone into position, Naomi made her way to the group. Araki-sensei placed her hand on top of Naomi's head. "This is Naomi Yokoyama. From today onwards, she'll be our new manager," her hand retreated back to her shinai, "Do anything weird to her and you'll have to put up with me." She hit the end of her shinai on the ground, making the sound echo throughout the gym. Her voice was serious and she omitted a killer aura. The team nodded in unison with a plastered nervous smile on their faces.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Naomi Yokoyama. I am the new slave," she gestured a small bow. Coach Araki jabbed Naomi on the side with her elbow. "Oof! I was only joking. Geez that hurt," Naomi grouched while she rubbed her side. There were bits of laughter coming from some of the members.

Coach ordered the team to start with stretches and break up into teams. She stood there eyeing the members but then lets out a sigh. "We're missing two members. Has anyone seen Himuro and Murasakibara?" Everyone was silent, some shook their heads in response. "Yokoyama-san, I need you to find Himuro and Murasakibara quickly," she scooted the confused manager to the door.

"What? Why me? I don't even know what they look like," Naomi retorted.

"You can't miss them, now hurry. I wish to start a practice match," Araki-sensei gave her another push.

Araki-sensei disappeared back into the gymnasium but before the door closed it was held open by Wei. He was slightly out of breath as he reached his arm out to Naomi, "Do thou mind getting me juice?"

She was staring at him with her wide emerald eyes, still slightly taken back by the shove she received from Araki-sensei. She blinked once more which brought her attention to the change in his hand. "S-sure," she uttered.

"Thanks," he quickly turned back into the gym.

"Honestly, how does she expect me to find two people that I don't even know," Naomi muttered as she contemplates on which juice to get for Wei.

A small can of sweet apple juice smacked the end wall when it was dispensed. Naomi reached for the juice and began to make her way back to the gym while scanning the school grounds in search for two unfamiliar faces. _They would be wearing gym shorts or something right?_ As she rounded the corner she bumped into another person and fell on her tush.

"Ouch! Seriously I just keep on running into people," she groaned.

"S-sorry," she looked up to find an outstretched hand in which she willingly takes ahold of.

"It's fine," Naomi dusted the bits of dirt from her bum as she eyed the person she ran into. She found herself face-to-face with a guy with black silky looking hair, part of which drapes over his left eye. His right eye, marked with a mole underneath it, remained uncovered by his hair.

The stranger observed Naomi from head to toe, "Who are you?" She arched a brow at him. _Jumping right to it huh?_ "I mean, it's just that you're wearing a basketball jersey. I assume you're the new manager?"

The dark auburn hair girl let out a sigh and just nodded, "I am. I'm Naomi Yokoyama. And what about you? Who are you?"

"Yokoyama-san, eh? I'm Tatsuya Himuro," he replied with a smile of relief. "I'm sorry again bumping into you but I'm glad you're okay."

"Ah, so you're Himuro-kun. Oh, and it's completely fine, don't worry about it," she reassured him while slipping him a faint smile. "Sen- I mean Coach Araki is looking for you. You don't happen to know where Murasakibara-kun is, do you?"

Himuro jolts up and his eyes widen just slightly. He hits himself on the side of the head with his wrist. "Ah! That's right! I'm actually searching for him too."

"What does he look like?"

"Eh? You don't know what he looks like? He's really hard to miss."

"Muro-chin," an unfamiliar voice broke the conversation.

"Ah! Atsushi! Where were you? Practice probably has already started," Himuro turned to face the man by the name of Atsushi. Naomi peeked around the corner and was completely stunned by what she was seeing. A purple hair giant with quite an appetite. He was carrying various snacks in a bag which was hooked in the bend of his left arm while eating nerunerunerune candy.

"Huge," she whispered, letting the words slip right out.

Atsushi took notice of her presence and looked down at her. "Hmm? Muro-chin, who's that?" he asked with the spoon full of nerunerunerune candy in his mouth.

"This is Yokoyama-san. She'll be our new manager" he introduced. "Yokoyama-san this is Atsushi Murasakibara."

"Hello," she greeted him. "Since we're all here why don't we make our way to the gym? I don't want to be hit by Araki-sensei again." Naomi began walking toward the gym. Himuro and Murasakibara followed behind and soon caught up to her.

"'Again' huh?" Himuro repeated with a nervous laugh.

"But Muro-chin, can't we just skip? I wanna go home and sleep. I'm tired." Atsushi complained. She couldn't help but realize how much he acted like a kid but she can't help but sympathize with him.

"You and me both, Murasakibara-kun," she sighed. They both glance at her without saying a word.

* * *

The three of them returned back to Araki-sensei who immediately handed Naomi a clipboard and a stack of papers. She commanded Himuro and Atsushi to begin stretching and join the already-occurring the small practice match with the other players.

"I want you to start looking over these. As a manager you need to get to know the players and take this," she handed Naomi a DVD. "This a DVD with various matches we've had last year."

"I didn't expect to be doing homework too," she replied while staring at the disc.

Naomi looked up at the coach after hearing her sigh. "I understand you don't want to be here Yokoyama-san but I thought that maybe if you joined something, you'd feel more at ease. Getting to meet new people and create bonds may make a new place a little less frightening."

The rookie manager looked at her and could tell of how sincere she was. It was then when she decided that maybe what coach said was right. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to try," she smiled and took the disc from her. Araki-sensei returned the smile which she was not used to seeing.

* * *

Fumbling with her keys, Naomi managed to open the door to her condo. She was beyond exhausted and could probably just fall asleep at the entry way. She kicked off her shoes and maneuvered her way through the darkness of her new home. Scanning the wall for the light switch, she found a small plastic knob which she slowly twisted, illuminating the foyer and living room.

After a quick shower and a hot meal, she threw herself onto her king sized bed. Naomi laid completely face down into the pillow and let out a long groan. Turning her head to the side, she faced the stack of papers and DVD that sat under her desk lamp. Pushing herself up and off the bed, she grabbed the papers and disc and retreated back to her bed with them all sprawled out.


End file.
